LOCAL FAMILY - FIRE - NEEDS HELP!!! - 02/11/09 04:21 PM
LOCAL FAMILY NEEDS HELP - LOST EVERYTHING IN FIRE
1,2,3 - GO!
Below is information from a Realtor I know, Angie Slocum, Keller Williams Agent in Vancouver, concerning a family who had a fire and lost EVERYTHING.  She has set up a donation at the Downtown Vancouver Keller Williams.  They are accepting monetary and material donations.  13 year old daughter, and two parents. 
 
If everyone on my contact lists contributed $5-$50 that would equal $1750 to $17,500 - Let's Do it!! and Pass it on!!
 
If you would like to donate, but can not drop off items, I will be happy … (1 comments)

Home Inspection: Water Doesn't Flow Uphill - 02/11/09 12:18 AM

Image Description: The lowest piece of black drain line in this picture is the handy work of a not-so-handy homeowner.  It didn't just slip.  Yes, ladies and gentlement, the home owner installed the line with an uphill slope without, it appears, questioning whether water can actually flow up hill correctly. 
No wonder the tub was having difficulty draining properly.
--
Justin Nickelsen, Nickelsen Home Inspections, LLC
Vancouver, WA / Portland, OR
360.907.9648 / 503.502.1495
www.NickelsenHomeInspections.com
… (1 comments)

Home Inspection Photo's - "I Can Trick the Home Inspector..." - 02/11/09 12:05 AM

Image Description: This home owner attempted to cover a very large area of wood decay with ... black plastic.
?
Imaging the conversation:
"Hey, Laura... I have a great idea on how to keep the home inspector from mentioning that large area of decay on the west side of the house." 
"Oh, really?  What are you going to do?"
"I am going to cover it with black plastic..."
(silence)
"Umm... don't you think the home inspector is smarter than that?"
"Actually, I was reading that home inspectors in Washington State are not governed by the State and that anyone can … (1 comments)

Home Inspection: Foreclosure Pictures - 02/10/09 11:34 PM

Image Description: Yes, more pictures from home inspections on homes that have been foreclosed.  I have posted many pictures of items that have been damaged or removed from foreclosed homes.  I guess I will just make it a theme because I do about 6-7 foreclosed homes a week right now.
--
Justin Nickelsen, Nickelsen Home Inspections, LLC
Vancouver, WA / Portland, OR
360.907.9648 / 503.502.1495
www.NickelsenHomeInspections.com
 
… (1 comments)

Home Inspection: Bellybands and Composite Siding (and wood decay) - 02/10/09 11:16 PM

Image Description: (long drawn out snore...).  1980's-1990's Manufactured Home + Composite Panel of Any Type that Isn't Taken Care of + Belly Band with a 90 Degree Angle = Wood Decay... and usually lots of it.
I am not against composite panel siding of any kind... I have Louisian Pacific siding on my house.  I maintain it, and it is fine.  But it is that little detail ("maintain it") that appears to be lost on the part of many (most?) home owners.  It will decay if it isn't maintained.
However, this problem can be accellerated or accented if one decides to … (0 comments)

Home Inspection: Patio Sloping Towards Manufactured Home - 02/10/09 11:05 PM

Image Description: though somewhat difficult to see with the picture, this patio is notably sloping towards this manufactured home.  This would be somewhat of an issue of it was a standard residential structure, but water can get under a manufactured home a little more easily.  As I came to find out towards the end of the inspection, there was, in fact, water getting into the crawl space from this area.
Inspection performed on February 10, 2009 in Vancouver WA
--
Justin Nickelsen, Nickelsen Home Inspections, LLC
Vancouver, WA / Portland, OR
www.NickelsenHomeInspections.com
… (0 comments)

What They are Saying About Nickelsen Home Inspections, LLC - 02/10/09 03:11 AM
"Thank you for your inspection of the house.  Both Dan .. and I were impressed with your thoroughness and attention to detail (as well as explaining things in a way I could understand!).  I gave out one of your business cards (had to keep one for myself!) at our ... meeting last night.  If you could send me some more, or drop them off ... I will recommend you [to the other members]." 
T. Taylor, Inspection Performed on 2.9.2009 in Vancouver, WA
--
We are commited to excellence! 
Nickelsen Home Inspections, LLC - "A Conduit for Educated Real Estate Transactions"
360.907.9648 / 503.502.1495
www.NickelsenHomeInspections.com
… (0 comments)

Home Inspection: Complete Arm Destroying Organism - 02/10/09 02:12 AM

Image Description: these people knew how to have fun at the home inspection.  I joined in: this was the front page of their inspection report.  Apparently they decided that if the buyer won he would only have to pay a 0.00001% commission.  I can't remember who one.  :)~
--
Justin Nickelsen, Nickelsen Home Inspections, LLC
Vancouver, WA / Portland, OR
360.907.9648 / 503.502.1495
… (0 comments)

Home Inspection: In Similar Fashion - 02/10/09 02:03 AM

Image Description: in like manner to the missing fixture below... How could I fail to mention the animalistic aggression of foreclosed humanity: the broken doors, the holes in walls, and yes, the intentionally smashed stove top.  Lovely.
Wouldn't their energy have been better spent by simply taking the oven as well?  I mean... they spent all of that time removing the $5 light fixture, but they failed to remove the oven...
Again, these are not really "sensible" people.  :)
--
Nickelsen Home Inspections, LLC
Vancouver, WA / Portland, OR
360.907.9648 / 503.502.1495
… (1 comments)

Home Inspection Photography: The Times... They are a..Chang'in - 02/10/09 01:59 AM

 
Image Description: I consider the "missing light" as a sort of iconcraphic representation of what my daily life is now as a home inspector.  9 out of ever 10 home inspections I perform are now vacant homes that have been foreclosed on (no, I am not exaggerating, I keep track).  Over 90% of these homes have no utilities on when the clients or their realtors try to schedule the inspection, which means that I usually have somewhere between 5-10 work orders filled out without being able to schedule the inspection: almost everyone is having to wait a long time … (3 comments)

Home Inspection: How I REALLY Find Leaking Water - 02/08/09 04:07 PM

Image Description: the daily find: leaking water at traps under sinks (and in the crawl space).
Like most inspectors, I used to run the water for a bit while I was checking a specific area of the home (kitchen, bathrooms, etc.).  But about a year ago I started running the water at all locations in the home once I came into the home (I do the outside, roof, garage and all things in the garage before going into the house).  During my inspection, the water may be running for 45 minutes or more, and I end by going into the … (0 comments)

Home Inspection: Home Owner Cuts Trusses to Make Room for Central Air. - 02/08/09 03:54 PM

Image Description: his house, in Woodland, WA was inspected in 2005 and was built in the 1970's.  From the outside, I noticed that the roof had a pretty notable depression in it, so when I went into the attic I was looking extra close for signs of why that may have happend.  What you are seeing in this picture is manufactured trusses that have been cut by the homeowner to put in a central air system.  The trusses were not only cut, but no other supports were even added to make up for the fact.  Most home inspections I perform … (0 comments)

Washington State's Caste System For Home Inspectors - 02/07/09 09:47 PM

Via Steven L. Smith, Bellingham, Wa. Home Inspector (King of the House Home Inspection):
Come September of this year, home inspector licensing comes to Washington State.

Consumers and other real estate professionals wonder what this will do to the field of home inspection. I believe that, among other things, it will lead to a caste system for home inspectors in Washington State. My thought process is explained below in a way that should help consumers better determine how to hire a qualified home inspector.
My views were formulated after thinking about all of the discussion that has been going on about changes … (1 comments)

Negative Flow at Gutters: Home Inspection in Portland, OR - 02/06/09 01:08 PM

Image Description: This is a house that I inspected on February 4, 2009 in Portland Oregon.  You will note that the gutters are not sloping properly towards the downspouts (i.e., there is a "negative flow").  Water was pooling in this area, and you could tell that in heavier rains the water comes up over the gutter in that area and splashes on the dirt below (the patterns in the dirt help the inspector make that determination).  You want to have gutters properly flowing to downspouts, and those downspouts should either go to underground leaders or have turnout elbows and splashblocks.  … (0 comments)

The Greatest Inspection Tool - 02/06/09 12:59 PM

 
Image Description: perhaps the most important part of my job is making sure there is enough coffee in my system.  If you want a happy inspector who is able to offer you a great inspection, he needs to have coffee.  :) For me, coffee starts in the morning... immediately.  The next step is the travel mug.  Third, we have our afternoon cup.  And finally there is the "I am finally home and I am tired" cup of coffee.  Trust me, everyone in my life is happier when I have coffee in my system.  :)
… (0 comments)

Carpenter Ants Attack Foam Insulation - 02/06/09 12:52 PM

Image Description: this picture was taken during a home inspection in Vancouver, WA.  What you are seeing is Carpenter Ants that have infested rigid foam insulation.  When in the crawl space, the inspector could not see any dead Carpenter Ants, or any blatant damage.  The only thing that inspector saw was fine dust, but it wasn't wood dust.  This lead the inspector to pull back a section of the foam insulation to find the Carpenter Ants.  What is interesting about this situation is that there were no signs anywhere that the Carpenter Ants had actually gone for the wood: they … (4 comments)

What Is a "Home Inspection" - 02/06/09 12:46 PM
While you will get various statements from State governing bodies and independent inspection associations, as a general rule of thumb a home inspection is a "visual, non-invasive inspection of the readily accessible areas of the property as they exist on the day of the inspection." 
Visual: what can't be seen can not be inspected.
Non-Invasive: the inspector is a guest in a home that is still someone else's (or, in the case of a bank owned property, it is the property of some entity).  As such, the inspector is not expected to dismantle things (dead front of the electrical panel being an … (0 comments)

Things to Check Before the Inspector Arrives - 02/06/09 12:20 PM
Before the Inspection...
Thank you for contacting Nickelsen Home Inspections, LLC for your inspection needs.  We look forward to working with you.  Below are some tips and directions which may help make the inspection process a smooth one.
· Occupied Homes:  Please have the selling party ensure that the following things are unblocked by any and all personal belongings on the day of the inspection: 1) The Crawl Space Access, 2) the Attic Access, 3) the Electrical Panel, 4) The Furnace, 5) Water Heater.  Regarding the electrical panel: we have to open up the panel, so it shouldn't be blocked by shelving … (1 comments)

Clark County Washington's "Utility Problem"--Utilities Off, Presenting Problems With Inspection Process - 02/06/09 12:15 PM
Boy... things have changed, haven't they!  While realtors, appraisers, mortgage brokers and home inspectors may feel the affect of this change differently, there is still the common denominator: we all work in real estate, and this is a different market than many of us were once used to. This leaves us all with a couple options: we can reject the change and refuse to deal with it, or we can meet the change and the challenges which come with it head on.  Nickelsen Home Inspections, LLC is choosing the latter...
Of the many changes that we have experienced on our side … (4 comments)

Washington State Home Inspection Legislation Website - 02/06/09 11:49 AM
If you would like to keep track of the home inspection legislation in Washington State, you may find the following links helpful:
- Department of Licensing Inspector Page: http://www.dol.wa.gov/business/homeinspectors/index.html
- Washington State Legislature Inspection Bill Page: http://apps.leg.wa.gov/billinfo/summary.aspx?bill=6606&year=2007
- Kaplan Education Overview of Washington State Law: http://www.home-inspect.com/legislation.asp#WA
- AHIT Education Overview of Washington State Law: http://www.ahit.com/training/stateregs/washington_regs.cfm
- Deparment of Agriculture, "What Are Home Inspectors Allowed to Say On Home Inspection Reports Regarding Wood Destroying Insects", http://agr.wa.gov/pestfert/docs/WhatHomeInspectorsCanSayAboutWDI.pdf
---------------------
Justin Nickelsen, Nickelsen Home Inspections, LLC
Vancouver, WA - 360.907.9648
 
… (0 comments)

New Home Inspection Legislation in Washington State Has at Least One Major "Defect" - 02/06/09 11:31 AM
For many years I have been a strong proponent of legislation in Washington State that would help regulate the industry and protect consumers.  Very (very!) few consumers who call me realize that at the present time anyone could be a home inspector in Washington State in less than a month without ever stepping into a house, and without ever taking any course work.  When consumers call me, the only thing that they ask for is the price.
So, after a lot of struggle, they finally got legislation passed in Washington State, which goes into affect this year.  But it has at … (0 comments)

Will Your Washington State Home Inspector Be Running Naked This Fall? - 02/06/09 11:08 AM
Comments from Steven Smith of King of the House, Inc concerning the major defect in the new law governing home inspectors in the State of Washington. 
Via Steven L. Smith, Bellingham, Wa. Home Inspector (King of the House Home Inspection):
This title is not misleading and makes sense if you read this post.
Since I am on the Washington State Home Inspector Licensing Board, which is fine-tuning the basic rules passed by the legislature last year, I will state facts here and not give my opinions.
When the new home inspector licensing law goes into effect in the fall of this year, it … (0 comments)

Nice Comments from Recent Client - 02/05/09 09:28 PM
"Wanted to say Thank you for coming out so fast to do our inspection.  This is our first house and were scared about investing any money into it but Justin and Kurt made us feel very good about investing in their services.  They scheduled us over the weekend, were out 2 days later, were in and out in no time with a Extensive report on the condition of the home.  I was able to get prices and quotes that same night on everything because the report was so easy to understand.  I will definately recommend Nickelsen Home Inspections to my parents, … (0 comments)

Clark County's Newspaper, "The Columbian", and the Residential Real Estate Forecast - 02/05/09 09:14 PM
January 24th's Columbian had a special feature: the economic forecast for Clark County.  Among the other specific topics were commercial and residential real estate. 
 
Author Daile Riley, a noted appraiser in the Vancouver, WA area, stated, "This is the beginning period to start buying. Use this time to qualify for a loan that you know you can afford. It is a good time to buy; the bottom will be short-lived. It is a natural fact that the darkest part of night is just before sunrise. The sun will rise during 2009."
 
What do you think?  Will the "sun rise" … (0 comments)

Will Realtors in Washington Be Allowed to Refer Home Inspectors? What Constitutes a "Business Relationship"? My Discussion With the DOL - 02/05/09 09:06 PM
 
Last week a lot of stir was made when the association, Washington Realtors, sent out a note with commentary on the DOL law (208-124C-050) on Home Inspector Referrals (Click Here to See PDF of Law).  As you will see below, that commentary stated that the fact that Realtors have referred home inspectors in the past did NOT constitute a "business relationship".  However, I wrote to the DOL and they wrote back saying that past referrals DID count as a "business relationship".  Below is my letter back to her.  I think that the Washington State Realtors on Active Rain and the … (1 comments)

 
Nhi-3color-md Rainmaker_large

Justin Nickelsen, CMI - (p 360.907.9648) Vancouver/Portland/WA/OR Home Inspector

Vancouver, WA

More about me…

NICKELSEN HOME INSPECTIONS - Vancouver WA Home Inspector

Address: PO Box 872862, Vancouver, WA, 98687

Office Phone: (503) 502-1495

Cell Phone: (360) 907-9648

Email Me

Nickelsen Home Inspections, LLC is proud to be performing home inspections in all of the Clark County Washington and the Greater Portland, OR and Vancouver, WA metro areas. We specialize in offering a complete inspection process, from the inspection to the report, on site and in an expedient yet thorough manner. Prior to taking on the form of Nickelsen Home Inspections, LLC in 2005, Inspection Consulting was one of the original home inspection companies in Clark County. We have collectively performed over 10,000 home inspections in the last 12 years, and we put all of this experience to work for you. -- If you need a home inspector in Vancouver WA, or anywhere in SW Washington and NW Oregon, Nickelsen Home Inspections, LLC will offer you the most experience, the best service, and we guarantee it! Call Today: WA: 360.907.9648 OR: 503.502.1495 Toll Free: 1.866.284.3151


Listings

Links

Archives

RSS 2.0 Feed for this blog